Easy carrot cake with cream cheese icing

This is essentially like two desserts in one.  It’s kind of like a cheese cake on top of a carrot cake! I've used some apple puree to give sweetness and moistness without as much oil as other versions, and I've used whole wheat flour instead of white flour. 

Ingredients

Cream cheese icing

• ½ cup light cream cheese, softened
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

Carrot cake

• 2 cups wholemeal flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ¾ tsp nutmeg, grated
• ½ tsp salt
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tbsp canola oil
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup milk
• 1 cup applesauce
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 3 cups freshly grated carrots

Instructions

1. To make the icing, add cream cheese to a bowl. Beat until smooth. Add maple syrup and vanilla extract and beat to incorporate.

2. Preheat oven to 180ºC (350ºF).

3. Pour flour into a large mixing bowl. Add baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt and mix well.

4. In a separate bowl, crack eggs and whisk. Pour in oil, vanilla, milk, applesauce, and brown sugar and stir.

5. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix to combine.

6. Add carrots into batter and mix well to incorporate.

7. Pour into a springform pan lined with baking paper.

8. Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden.

9. Allow to cool thoroughly, then ice with cream cheese icing.

Note

• Check the cake after  25 minutes.

This is essentially like two desserts in one.  It’s kind of like a cheese cake on top of a carrot cake! I've used some apple puree to give sweetness and moistness without as much oil as other versions, and I've used whole wheat flour instead of white flour.